This invention relates to absorbent fabrics for managing bodily fluids and, more particularly, to absorbent fabrics which include hydrophobic yarns and which are reusable after washing. The invention also relates to washable and reusable undergarments which incorporate such absorbent fabrics.
The use of absorbent fabrics for managing bodily fluids is known. For example, several fabrics have been introduced which include multiple fabric layers, such as a body-facing hydrophobic layer or layers in combination with a garment-facing hydrophilic layer or layers, so as to wick moisture away from the body. These multiple layers are typically held together by stitching or adhesive. Unfortunately, the traditional multilayer fabrics tend to be quite thick, which makes them bulky and uncomfortable when incorporated into undergarments. Furthermore, this bulkiness makes such undergarments more noticeable underneath outer garments such as a dress or pair of pants.
More recently, absorbent fabrics have been introduced which incorporate the beneficial properties of hydrophobic and hydrophilic layers, without the thickness, bulk and discomfort of previous absorbent fabrics. These more recently developed fabrics are integrally knit fabrics having an uppermost top portion and a lower or bottom portion held together with an intermediate or middle portion. The top portion is a set of hydrophobic yarns having a raised surface construction, for example, loop pile, while the bottom portion includes a set of hydrophilic yarns, also usually having a raised surface construction. The middle portion includes one or more sets of ground yarns, which may be any yarns suitable for integrating the yarns of the top and bottom portions, as well as an inner portion of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic yarns themselves. One such fabric is shown in Heiman U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,269, and is available under the trademark COMPLY.RTM. from Standard Textile Co., Inc., located in Cincinnati, Ohio.
In addition to being relatively thin, such integrally knit fabrics also are able to absorb and retain significant amounts of fluid. When used to manage bodily fluids, the upper hydrophobic portion is placed against the body. Any fluids discharged by the wearer contact the raised hydrophobic yarns of the top portion, wick "down" the raised hydrophobic yarns toward the middle portion, where the fluid contacts and is absorbed by hydrophilic yarns in the middle portion, and pass into the bottom portion where the fluids are retained. Furthermore, due to the nature of the raised hydrophobic yarns and the generally close spacing of the yarns, fluid which has migrated into the bottom portion generally does not move back across the fabric to the upper surface of the top portion hydrophobic yarns, thereby providing a dry and comfortable feel to the wearer.
However, when such integrally knit fabrics receive a fluid discharge, droplets of fluid may remain on the body-facing surface of the top portion for a period of time before being wicked toward the hydrophilic yarns of the bottom portion, thereby extending the time it takes to move fluid away from the user's body, and making the wearer uncomfortable.